How can you and I influence the world for the better? It’s tempting to feel powerless—yet history and common sense remind us that making even a small difference in our local communities can ripple outward, creating real and lasting change.

“In Her Own Words” is a column that highlights outstanding female leaders and innovators in our natural health community.

Led by Ellen Wheeler, vice president of partnerships for Alive Publishing Group and publisher of CNHR, the column shines a light on industry women making a real impact.

A couple years ago, with the 50^th anniversary of his natural health food store on the horizon, Dellard Labrosse was starting to feel the weight of the five decades he had spent building and maintaining his business. But he’s not just the founder of Georgian Bay Whole Foods in Parry Sound, ON—Dellard also operated a natural food warehouse and ran a delivery service that supplied dozens of health food stores over Central Ontario.

Sometimes, you just know when it is time.